Eenie-Meanie-Minie-Mo
Catch a tiger by the toe
If he hollers let him go
My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are not it.
This is a playground meme that children catch much like a virus. It is contagious because children falsely assume that it is a random generator. You use it to make decisions, to choose between two things. On the first three lines, you point your finger at each item alternating every second beat or word. On the last line, you alternate with every syllable. The last word eliminates one of the choices. Children use it to make decisions because they falsely assume that it randomizes the choice. They falsely believe that they have a magic formula that will make a decision for them. However, since the number of syllables is always the same -- children are very strict in following the formula precisely -- the decision is really made by the child with the very first choice of which item to point to. Because the phrase is so long and takes effort to remember, the child focuses on the recitation. By the end of the formula, the child has forgotten which item was pointed at first.
Memes can survive and spread for reasons contrary to what the hosts believe they do.
God did not make surfing
There are times in which you are well-fed, rested, sober, safe and warm -- times in which you feel good. It takes an enormous amount of time and energy to get to those good times. It takes an ability to find warmth, shelter, a safe place to sleep, and the enormous amount of time and energy used to obtain and secure food.
The religious mind assumes that the world is here for us. They assume that all of the things required to secure these good feelings were put there for us to use. Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
Instead, enjoying warmth, shelter, food, etc. is a luxury. It is not part of the world's design. It is us riding the wave of consciousness before the next crashing need of warmth, shelter, food, etc. must be met.
There is the surf and the surfer. The surf was not created for the surfer nor the surfer for the surf. The surfer is taking advantage of the surf and doing something to it. It takes many hours and lots of resources to get the surfer to the point where he can enjoy a few moments of surfing. Many people and things had a hand in getting the surfer to this point -- he did not do it himself although, obviously, he played a big part. Think of the hours devoted to creating and maintaining surfboards. These things were not predesigned by a intelligent deity. God did not make the surf for the surfer. Many people and things made surfing.
The religious mind assumes that the world is here for us. They assume that all of the things required to secure these good feelings were put there for us to use. Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
Instead, enjoying warmth, shelter, food, etc. is a luxury. It is not part of the world's design. It is us riding the wave of consciousness before the next crashing need of warmth, shelter, food, etc. must be met.
There is the surf and the surfer. The surf was not created for the surfer nor the surfer for the surf. The surfer is taking advantage of the surf and doing something to it. It takes many hours and lots of resources to get the surfer to the point where he can enjoy a few moments of surfing. Many people and things had a hand in getting the surfer to this point -- he did not do it himself although, obviously, he played a big part. Think of the hours devoted to creating and maintaining surfboards. These things were not predesigned by a intelligent deity. God did not make the surf for the surfer. Many people and things made surfing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
